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Milton said that whenever the couple would go anywhere throughout their marriage, when their father decided it was time to leave he would tell his wife and be out the door. Robert would wait in the car while Nora would linger, saying her goodbyes.

'We joked (after Nora died) that he was tugging on her, saying 'Come on Nora,' and she said 'No, I have to say goodbye to the kids,' Milton said.

Family: Siblings, from left, Bob Viands, Beverly Viands, Barb Milton and Bill Viands are seen gathered with a photo of their parents, Robert and Nora Viands at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center

The couple, who were originally from Ashland in central Illinois, met on a blind date. But family members say Nora wasn't initially smitten, and vowed not to go out with him again.

Robert, who was later drafted during World War II, persisted and the two went on a second date. They eventually eloped to Missouri because at 17, Nora was too young to legally wed in Illinois. To appease their families — she was Catholic, he was Methodist — they had two more ceremonies in their respective churches.

In heaven: The couple marked their 71st anniversary in June

The couple marked their 71st anniversary in June.

Robert
Viands spent 30 years working at a distributor company and retired as a
rural postal carrier. He enjoyed fishing and gardening. Nora "loved a
little flavor of the casinos," according to an obituary, and was a
teacher as well as a cheerleading coach.

They also had 18 grandchildren.

Milton
said she and her siblings had worried about what would happen to their
surviving parent when the other one died. And though they are sad to
lose them, 'in our hearts we're glad.

'All of us children have said this is the only way they would have wanted it,' she said

A joint funeral will be held Sunday in Rockford, about 80 miles northwest of Chicago.